

cur orchards relatively young if we are to maintain our favorable position 

 among apple growing regions. In this connection the variety trend is of 

 m«ch interest. In 1925, about 25jJ of our apple crop was of the Mcintosh 

 variety. Today it is about 60^o. lie are becoming a "one variety state." 



There is a growing tendency in the fruit business to think in terms 

 of new equipment, new spray materials, new fertilizers, and new varieties 

 without paying much attention to the long time aspects of the business. Vfe 

 are likely to stand so close to our present day problems that we fail to 

 visualize what may happen five or ten years hence. Post-war planning is 

 therefore of utmost importance. The fruit enterprise on every farm should 

 be reorganized. High per acre yields of good fruit mean larger net returns. 



The 1944 apple crop in Massachusetts was almost exactly the same 

 as the 10-year average (2,583,000 bushels as compared v;ith 2,586,000 bushels), 

 This was about a quarter of a million bushels more than the short crop of 

 1943 and about a million bushels less than the bumper crop of 1942. Approx- 

 imately 218,000 bushels of the 1944 crop were sold to the FSA in connection 

 with the hurricane apple purchase program. Prices have been very favorable 

 during both 1943 and 1944. This situation will not continue indefinitely. 

 Fruit grov/ers must plan accordingly. 



Fruits other than apples should also receive attention. There is 

 an excellf;nt opportunity for the grov/ing of more peaches provided suitable 

 soil and site are available. The same is true of pears. The tine also 

 seems favorable for limited planting of strawberries, raspberries, and 

 grapes to supplement other enterprises, such as vegetables or poultry. 

 An acre of strav/berries if properly handled, should yield at least 5,000 

 quarts. Strawberries should be considered by an occasional grower of tree 

 fruits and by other farmers, as a supplementary enterprise. 



Problems Needing Attention; (1) Removal of older bl ocks , and 

 planting of suitable varieties on good site's and~soils. Frosty sites and 

 hopelessly poor 'soils imist hot be replantecf. The rejuvenation of our 

 present productive plantings is much more important and significant thsin 

 the establishment of nevi ones. (2) Orchard crowding. Filler tree removal, 

 or the cutting back of temporary trees, is urgently needed in many orchards, 



(3) Magnesiwa deficiency. Severe symptoms are appearing not only in apple 

 orchards but in some peach orchards, vineyards, and raspberry plantings. 

 Every effort should be made to distribute high magnesium lime to those 

 farms v/here such deficiency appears. The use of other magnesiura carriers, 

 such as epsom salts, is also recommended v/here the deficiency is severe. 



(4) Improv ement in the fruit pest c ontrol prograra. San Jose scale is on 

 the increase. Red mite is causing severe damage in many orchards. Apple 

 maggot is constantly a menace and must receive greater emphasis in 1945. 

 Dusting as a supplement to spraying, is becoming a comi:ion practice. 



(5) Service to new orchard owners. Returning veterans interested in fruit 

 growing" are entitled to whatever service vie can offer. They should be en- 

 couraged to contact the county extension office for practical advice. With 

 our present knowledge of the fitness of soil types for fruit growing we can 

 render a very valuable service to newcomers in the fruit business. (6) Di- 

 versification. On a farm concerned primarily with apples, some attention 



